“Glory In the Meeting House” – Sandeep Das and Mike Block (Video)
“I almost don’t know what to say about this wonderful, joyous uplifting piece of music except maybe “Wow! That was genuinely mind blowing!.” A cello played like a fiddle? Accompanied by tabla? How could that possibly work? Well work it did and then some! Apparently, a traditional Appalachian fiddle tune that to my ears, also had a distinctive Irish & Indian feel. A masterclass by Mike Block & Sandeep Das. I could almost taste the moonshine & I’m getting the album for sure.”
-Nagamag.com
GRAMMY-winning cellist Mike Block and GRAMMY-winning tablaist Sandeep Das have released “Glory In The Meeting House,” their first single from their upcoming album, Where The Soul Never Dies, due out June 11 release via Bright Shiny Things.
“‘Glory in the Meeting House;’ is a traditional Appalachian fiddle tune, learned via Kentucky fiddler Luther Strong, who recorded it for Alan Lomax in 1937. In addition to adapting the fiddle melody for the cello, I changed the tuning of my instrument to create low drone strings in the key of E, to broaden the rhythmic texture surrounding the melody. This track also marks the the first time in Sandeep Das’ career that he has experimented with using two separate Tabla’s tuned to different pitches, creating an untraditional percussive texture with multiple pitches. The energy of the piece captures the spontaneity and friendship Sandeep and I feel, as we learned from each other’s musical traditions.” — Mike Block